Midrash for Jeremiah 12:5

Here, the money etc. - Rabi Yishmael taught, this is one of the ten a fortiori arguments written in the Torah. 1. "Indeed we returned the silver, obviously we wouldn't steal!"; 2. (Exodus 6) "The Children of Israel did not listen to me, certainly it is doubtful that Pharaoh would!"; 3.(Numbers 12) "And G-d said to Moses, 'If her father would spit in her face [she would hide from sight for seven days] surely then if the Shekhina rebukes her [she should hide for] fourteen days!"; 4. (Deuteronomy 31) "Indeed while I still live among you, you were rebellious, how much more so after my my death!"; 5. (Jeremiah 12) "If you race with the foot-runners and they exhaust you, surely then, you cannot compete with horses!"; 6. (ibid) "If you are secure only in a tranquil land, you will surely not fare well in the jungle of the Jordan!"; 7. (Samuel I 23) "Behold we are afraid even here in Judah, surely [we will fear them] if we go to Keilah!"; 8. (Proverbs 11) "If the righteous pay [for sin] while on earth, certainly the wicked should expect to!"; 9. (Esther 9) "And the king said to Esther, 'In the capitol city the [Jews destroyed so many] imagine what they have done in my other provinces!" [NOTE: The tenth a fortiori argument seems to be: 10. (Ezekiel 15:5) "If the wood of a grapevine has little use when it is whole, it obviously has no value when it is charred!"]